Nestlé Health Science has opened its Product Technology Center in Bridgewater, New Jersey, US, which was built with an investment of $70m.

The global research and development hub will focus on advancing the company’s offerings in the nutrition segment.

Nestlé senior vice-president and Global Product & Technology Development head Thomas Hauser said: “The opening of the Nestlé Product Technology Center comes at an exciting time when the potential for science-based nutritional solutions is accelerating.

“With this advanced centre leading the way, we’re able to leverage Nestlé’s global research and development (R&D) efforts here in New Jersey to rapidly translate science into innovation for consumers, patients and healthcare professionals.

“We’re also advantaged by the fact that the facility is co-located with the US headquarters of Nestlé Health Science, allowing for deep integration between the R&D and commercial sides of the business in our largest market.”

Set to serve as the lead Product Technology Center for Nestlé Health Science globally, the facility will be part of the company’s R&D that drive its mission to empower healthier lives through nutrition.

The Bridgewater facility will be equipped with advanced capabilities across the R&D lifecycle, ranging from ideation and rapid prototyping to sensory science, production and commercialisation, and will employ more than 170 employees.

Nestlé Health Science CEO Greg Behar said: “We approach sustainability as the right way to do business.

“Our science-driven nutrition portfolio continues to evolve towards cleaner recipes based on more sustainably sourced ingredients while improving our environmental footprint including packaging.”

Additionally, the facility is expected to support the company’s efforts to reduce packaging and produce lighter weight products, part of Nestlé’s global ambition to make 100% of its packaging recyclable or reusable by 2025.

Recently, the company renovated BOOST Kid Essentials to reduce sugar, remove artificial colours and simplify ingredients.

The company also launched COMPLEAT Organic Blends, a line of nutritionally complete tube-feeding formulas.